Which of the following best describes the nature-nurture question of abnormality?

Do you want full access?Go Premium and unlock all 7 pages

• Questions to our Experts New

Chapter 02 Theories and Treatment of Abnormality

1. (p. 24) Which of the following best defines a theory?

A. A theory is a set of ideas that relate only to observed behaviors.

B. A theory is a set of ideas that explains the causality of abnormality.

C. A theory is a set of ideas that bridges the gap between normal and abnormal behaviors.

D. A theory is a set of ideas that provides a framework for asking questions

about a phenomenon and for gathering and interpreting information about that phenomenon.

2. (p. 24) A _____ is a treatment, usually based on a theory of a disorder, that addresses the

factors that theory says cause the disorder.

A. practice

B. modus operandi

C. therapy

D. hypothesis

3. (p. 24) A psychologist who applies a sociocultural approach to anxiety disorders would:

A. consider genetics as a possible explanation for anxiety.

B. consider the way cultural values, or the social environment affect anxiety.

C. look for the causes of anxiety in people’s beliefs, thought processes, life experiences, and

relationships.

D. explain anxiety by taking into account a person’s unconscious desires.

Why is this page out of focus?

This is a Premium document. Become Premium to read the whole document.

Why is this page out of focus?

This is a Premium document. Become Premium to read the whole document.

The expression “nature vs. nurture” describes the question of how much a person's characteristics are formed by either “nature” or “nurture.” “Nature” means innate biological factors (namely genetics), while “nurture” can refer to upbringing or life experience more generally.

Traditionally, “nature vs. nurture” has been framed as a debate between those who argue for the dominance of one source of influence or the other, but contemporary experts acknowledge that both “nature” and “nurture” play a role in psychological development and interact in complex ways.

The Meaning of Nature vs. Nurture

The wording of the phrase “nature vs. nurture” makes it seem as though human individuality—personality traits, intelligence, preferences, and other characteristics—must be based on either the genes people are born with or the environment in which they grew up. The reality, as scientists have shown, is more complicated, and both these and other factors can help account for the many ways in which individuals differ from each other.

What does the phrase “nature vs. nurture” get wrong?

The words “nature” and “nurture” themselves can be misleading. Today, “genetics” and “environment” are frequently used in their place—with one’s environment including a broader range of experiences than just the nurturing received from parents or caregivers. Further, nature and nurture (or genetics and environment) do not simply compete to influence a person, but often interact with each other; “nature and nurture” work together. Finally, individual differences do not entirely come down to a person’s genetic code or developmental environment—to some extent, they emerge due to messiness in the process of development as well.

How do nature and nurture work together?

A person’s biological nature can affect a person’s experience of the environment. For example, a person with a genetic disposition toward a particular trait, such as aggressiveness, may be more likely to have particular life experiences (including, perhaps, receiving negative reactions from parents or others). Or, a person who grows up with an inclination toward warmth and sociability may seek out and elicit more positive social responses from peers. These life experiences could, in turn, reinforce an individual’s initial tendencies. Nurture or life experience more generally may also modify the effects of nature—for example, by expanding or limiting the extent to which a naturally bright child receives encouragement, access to quality education, and opportunities for achievement.

How does epigenetics relate to “nature vs. nurture”?

Epigenetics—the science of modifications in how genes are expressed—illustrates the complex interplay between “nature” and “nurture.” An individual’s environment, including factors such as early-life adversity, may result in changes in the way that parts of a person’s genetic code are “read.” While these epigenetic changes do not override the important influence of genes in general, they do constitute additional ways in which that influence is filtered through “nurture” or the environment.

The Nature-vs.-Nurture Debate

Theorists and researchers have long battled over whether individual traits and abilities are inborn or are instead forged by experiences after birth. The debate has had broad implications: The real or perceived sources of a person’s strengths and vulnerabilities matter for fields such as education, philosophy, psychiatry, and clinical psychology. Today’s consensus—that individual differences result from a combination of inherited and non-genetic factors—strikes a more nuanced middle path between nature- or nurture-focused extremes.

How old is the nature-nurture debate?

The debate about nature and nurture has roots that stretch back at least thousands of years, to Ancient Greek theorizing about the causes of personality. During the modern era, theories emphasizing the role of either learning and experience or biological nature have risen and fallen in prominence—with genetics gaining increasing acknowledgment as an important (though not exclusive) influence on individual differences in the later 20th century and beyond.

Where does the phrase “nature vs. nurture” come from?

“Nature versus nurture” was used by English scientist Francis Galton. In 1874, he published the book English Men of Science: Their Nature and Nurture, arguing that inherited factors were responsible for intelligence and other characteristics.

What is genetic determinism?

Genetic determinism emphasizes the importance of an individual’s nature in development. It is the view that genetics is largely or totally responsible for an individual’s psychological characteristics and behavior. The term “biological determinism” is often used synonymously.

What is the “blank slate” view in psychology?

The blank slate (or “tabula rasa”) view of the mind emphasizes the importance of nurture and the environment. Notably described by English philosopher John Locke in the 1600s, it proposed that individuals are born with a mind like an unmarked chalkboard and that its contents are based on experience and learning. In the 20th century, major branches of psychology proposed a primary role for nurture and experience, rather than nature, in development, including Freudian psychoanalysis and behaviorism.

How Genetic and Environmental Factors Are Identified

Modern scientific methods have allowed researchers to advance further in understanding the complex relationships between genetics, life experience, and psychological characteristics, including mental health conditions and personality traits. Overall, the findings of contemporary studies underscore that with some exceptions—such as rare diseases caused by mutations in a single gene—no one factor, genetic or environmental, solely determines how a characteristic develops.

How can we tell what portion of psychological differences are due to genes?

Scientists use multiple approaches to estimate how important genetics are for any given trait, but one of the most influential is the twin study. While identical (or monozygotic) twins share the same genetic code, fraternal (or dizygotic) twins share about 50 percent of the same genes, like typical siblings. Scientists are able to estimate the degree to which the variation in a particular trait, like extraversion, is explained by genetics in part by analyzing how similar identical twins are on that trait, compared to fraternal twins. (These studies do have limitations, and estimates based on one population may not closely reflect all other populations.) 

Which is more important, “nature” or “nurture”?

It’s hard to call either “nature” or “nurture,” genes or the environment, more important to human psychology. The impact of one set of factors or the other depends on the characteristic, with some being more strongly related to one’s genes—for instance, autism appears to be more heritable than depression. But in general, psychological traits are shaped by a balance of interacting genetic and non-genetic influences.

Is mental illness due to genes or the environment?

Is personality shaped more by genes or by the environment?

Like other psychological characteristics, personality is partly heritable. Research suggests less than half of the difference between people on measures of personality traits can be attributed to genes (one recent overall estimate is 40 percent). Non-genetic factors appear to be responsible for an equal or greater portion of personality differences between individuals. Some theorize that the social roles people adopt and invest in as they mature are among the more important non-genetic factors in personality development.

Where does artistic talent come from?

The complexity of cats warrants further exploration. Here are some of their remarkable attributes.

By asking the right questions, we can meaningfully engage with the nature/nurture debate in the study of our moral dispositions.

Are wolves capable of human bonding like dogs? New research suggests the answer is more "yes" than ever before.

Is abnormal behavior nurture or nature?

Which of the following are the 4 Ds of abnormal behavior quizlet?

Which of the following is true concerning the distress criterion for abnormality?

Is abnormal behavior genetic ?\?